Acoustical tile



P 5, 1960 M. MACCAFERRI 2,931,214

ACOUSTICAL TILE Filed Sept. 14. 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 0 0 O O O O O O O O 0 O QKOZZIJ/OI/O O O O O O O O O 0 O O 0 O O O O O 0/ O O O O O O O o o o o o o c o o o o o o b o o o o o o o o o 0 f0 0 o O 0 O Q 0 O O O O O o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o O O O O O O O O o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 0 o o o o o o o o o 0 0 o 0 33 INVENTOR. 35 32 3! 3 6 35 2/ BY April 5, 1960 M. MACCAFERRI 2,931,214

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April 5, 1960 M. MACCAFERRI ACOUSTICAL TILE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 14, 1953 April 5, 1960 M. MACCAFERRI 2,931,214

ACOUSTICAL TILE Filed Sept. 14, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 z mmvrox.

BY E

United States Patent ACOUSTICAL TILE Mario Maccaferri, Rye, NY.

Application September 14, 1953, Serial No. 379,918

5 Claims. (Cl. 72-18) My invention is directed to acoustical tiles; and the nature and objects of the invention will be readily recognized and understood by those skilledv in the arts involved in the light of the following explanation and detailed description of the accompanying drawings illustrating what I now believe to be the preferred embodiments or structural and acoustical expressions of the invention and the various features thereof, from among other forms, expressions, embodiments, modifications, constructions and combinations of which the invention is capable within the broad spirit and scope thereof as defined by the appended claims. p

This application is filed as a continuation-impart of my pending applicationSerial No. 283,707, filed April 22, 1952, for Acoustic Tiles, now Patent No. 2,755,882 issuedluly 24, 1956. 7 ii A general object of the invention is to overcome the .color limitations of and the necessity for coating or otherwise finishing and treating either before or after installation, the various types of acoustic tiles such as now in general use, by providing acoustic tiles of materials which may have any desired permanent color or color variations and which provide finished surfaces requiring no treatment of any character before orafter installation, with the faces or exposed surfaces of the tiles being capable of ready cleaningby mere dry wiping or dusting of the faces or exposed surfaces thereof.

In carrying out the above general object, I have provided acoustic tiles of the dense, hard-surfaced type formed of materials having no substantial inherent soundabsorbing characteristics; and a further object is to so design and construct such a tile as to cause the tile itself to function to damp out and dissipate a substantial percentage of the sound energy or sound waves striking against theexposed surface thereof with the tile being adapted to the efiicient mounting and combination therer with of suitable sound-absorbing material pads or mats for obtaining with the damping effect of the tile structure the maximum sound absorption from an installed tile and mat or p'ad combination.

Another general object is to provide an acoustic tile having the foregoing characteristics which is primarily adapted for installation by the use of a mastic or cement by which the tile is adhered to the surface of the structure on which the tile is to be positioned, with or without the use of additional mechanical fastening means, and by unskilled installers without the use of special tools or equipment and with a minimum of tile breakage and of tile surface marring or disfiguration.

A further object is to eliminate the necessity for applying a mastic or cement coating to the surface on which the tile is to be mounted,by providing the tile itself with limited area mastic or cement receiving or carrying surfaces on which a sufiicient quantity of mastic or cement may be applied by the installer to each tile as such tile is prepared for mounting in position adhered to the surface of the structure on which it is to be installed. a

2,931,214 Patented Apr. 5, 1960 ICC Another object is to provide an acoustic tile having sound wave damping tubes thereon which project from the inner or rear side of the tile body with sound receiving passages through the tubes opening through the outer, sound wave receiving surface of the tile body. a a

A further object is to provide a mastic installable acoustic tile having such sound wave damping tubes in which the rear ends of the tubes are so formed as to be engaged and keyed in the mastic or cement coating when the tile is pressed into position thereon to thereby securely bond and fix the tile in its mounted, installed position. 1 7

Another object is to provide an acoustic tile having plate units or portions providing mastic receiving'surfaces located spaced apart in positions at and spaced rearwardly from the rear surface of the tile body for the application thereto of a mastic and the abutment and seating ofsuch mastic carrying plate units against the structure on which the tile is to be installed to thereby fix the tile in the desired mounted position.

Another object is to provide as a self-containedand complete unit an acoustic tile having at the rear side thereof a suitable sound absorbing material in the form of a pad or mat assembled into the unit as a permanent component thereof with the mastic receiving plate units at the rear side of the tile engaging and securing such sound absorbing pad ormat in assembled position in the tile unit against displacement therefrom.

I have determined that certain plastic materials have, when molded, the requisite structural characteristics'from which to elliciently form an acoustic tile having the foregoing features in construction: and in function; and a further object is to provide a design and construction for such a plastic acoustic tile which will permit of the tiles being efiiciently manufactured on a quantity production basis with readily available standard types of J ficting from the rear side of the tile and opening molding equipment at relatively low production costs per tile.

And a further object is to provide an acoustic tile formed of a plastic material capable of being pigmented prior to molding to give to the tile molded therefrom any desired permanent color, shade or color variation, and which aside from permanency of color will produce a tile which requires no further finishing or conditioning after discharge from the mold and prior to theinstallation of the tile.

With the foregoing and various other objects, features and results in view which will be readily apparent from the following description and explanation, my invention consists in certain novel features in design, construction, materials and forms, and in combinations and sub-combinations of elements, parts and components, all as will be more fully and particularly referred to and specified hereinafter. a a

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which similar reference characters refer to corresponding parts and elements throughout the several figures thereof:

Fig. 1 is a view in plan of the exposed or front face side of acoustic tiles of my invention of the forms thereof having the multiplicity of sound wave damping tubes prothrough the front or face surface thereof.

Fig. 2 is a view in plan of the rear side of atile'of Fig. l. .t

Fig. 3 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of portions of adjacent tiles in mastic adhered, installed position on a wall, a portion of which is schematically shown in section.

Fig. 4 is a transverse, fragmentary section through a portion of the tile of Figs. 1 and 2, but showing a beveled ,form of edge flange. Y

3 Fig. is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing another modified form of tile edge flange.

Fig. 5A isa detailviewin section. through a modified damping tube of the type of tubes of Figs. 1 and 2 having a closed end wall.

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the tile of Figs. 1 and 2 and of adjacent damping tube members at the rear side of the tile. Fig. 7 is a view in plan of the rear side of a tile, sound absorbing pad, and cement receiving members in assembled combination to form a complete tile unit of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical section through a portion of. the tile unit of Fig. 7, taken as on the line 8-8 of' Fig. 7.

W Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the cement receiyingmembers of the tile unit of Fig. 7.

, Fig. 10 is a view in plan of a modified form of tile, sound-absorbing pad and cement-receiving member unit of the invention.

Fig, 11 is a view partly in transverse section and partly in edge elevation of a tile unit of Fig. 10.

The selected forms of tiles of the invention here presented, are in each instance square in plan form with maximum outside dimensions of 12" x 12", that is to say, each tile of the selected examples presents approximately one (1) square foot of wall covering when in installed position. A tile of this approximate size is generally considered by the art as a tile adapted primarily for ceiling installation but it is to be understood that with the plastic tiles of my present invention, due to the design and construction thereof and to the visual appearance of the tiles when in installed position, these so-called larger area or ceiling tiles may be as readily effectively used, if desired, for installation for the acoustic treatment of side walls or various other structures. Hence, there is no intention by the disclosed examples of larger area tiles to in any Way limit the intended use thereof or use for which such tiles are or may be found to be adapted. While I have shown by the examples, tiles of the above speci-- fled over-all plan dimensions, it is not thereby intended to in any way limit the plandimensions or area of the tiles whether they be intended for ceiling, side wall, or other installation locations. 7 All of the tiles of the examples hereof have the common characteristic of having been injection molded into the form of a thin, flatsheet or plate of a thermoplastic material forming the body of the tile and having a thickness in this instance within the range of the order of approximately .05" to .10", that is to say, approximately $5 to As disclosed by way of example in my hereinabove identified pending application Serial No. "283,707, the bodies of the tiles of the examples hereof may be considered to have a maximum thickness of approximately .06 with a minimum of thickness of approximately .055" with the thickness of the tile body progressively varying in accordance with the pattern and arrangement thereof as claimed in my above identified pending application. While the present exeamples of the inventions herein disclosed may be considered to have the bodies of the tile so formed, it is to be understood that they are not necessarily so limited as if desired or found expedient, the thickness of the tile body may be substantially uniform throughout or varied in any other arrangement or manner found desirable or practicable. Each of the example tiles herein disclosed is formed with a continuous integral flange therearound which is comprised of an outwardly and rearwardly curved edge portion along each side of the tile which terminates in an edge wall disposed generally normal to the plane of the front surface of the body of the tile, such edge wall of the tile having a substantially straight, planar outer surface also generally normal to the plane of the tile body front surface or face. The rounded edge and-rearwardly extended flange wall along each side'of the tile body is integrally joined at its opposite ends with the ends of the rounded edges and edge flange walls of the adjacent sides of the tile to form in effect the four corners of the tile unit. In the tile embodiments of th examples hereof the walls forming the rounded edges and the rearwardly extending flange forming walls making up the continuous flange of the tile are of substantially uniform thickness throughout, which in this instance may be considered to be approxirntely .06.

In the form of the tile illustrated in Figs. 1 through 6, the tile body is constituted by the thin, sheet-like plate 10 having the maximum thickness in this instance of approximately .06", and providing the flat, planar front surface or face 11 and the generally flat rear surface 12. The tile body has the continuous integral flange the-rearound comprised by the rearwardly extended flange wall 14 joined with the tile body by the curved edge forming wall portion 15 along each of the four side edges of the body 10. The flange wall 14 'is formed with a straight rear edge surface 14a which is adapted to form an elongated seat which may be abutted and seated against the surfaceof a wall W or other structure as schematically indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The flange walls'14 and the curved edge walls 15 along each side of body 10 are integrally joined at their opposite ends with the ends of the adjacent flange walls and edge walls to thereby form the corners 16 of the tile unit. Thus, the flange walls 14 together form a hollow-square seating base for locating and positioning the tile in installed position on a structure to be acoustically treated, .as well as forming a space or chamber within which there may be mounted a suitable mat or pad of sound-absorbing material, as will be referred to hereinafter. In the example tiles, the rear edge surfaces 14a of the tile flange wall 14 lie in a plane spaced approximately A." from the plane of the front surface or face 11 of the body of the tile, so that with the tile in installed position on a wall, the tile body is spaced outwardly from the surface of the wall a distance to provide a space S which is enclosed within the tile flange between the tile body and the wall or other structure on which the tile is mounted. The outer side of, each flange Wall 14 of the continuous flange of the tile, is formed to pro- ,vide a surface 14b for abutment against the corresponding and facing surface 14b of an adjacent tile in an installation of tiles, so that a clean, visually satisfactory and mechanicallytight joint between adjacent tiles may be had with the joint so formed in efiect providing a seal against the passage of foreign material therebetween and access thereof to the space S at the rear of the installed tiles.

Other forms and shapes of edge and flange walls may be employed, such for example as shown in Fig. 5, in which a sharp edge 15 is provided joining flange 14' at a substantially angle and with no radius, or as shown in Fig. 4, in which a bevel wall 15" is provided joining the tile'body 10 with the flange wall 14".

The tilebody 10 of the form of tile of Figs. 1 through 6, is formed with a multiplicity of circular apertures, openings or holes 20 distributed over the entire area of the plate-like body 10 of the tile and opening through the front, exposed surface or face 11 thereof. In this example with the tile plan dimensions as hereinbefore specified, I have provided a total of 289 of such apertures 20 which are arranged and located over the area of surface 11 spaced equidistant apart in seventeen parallel rows spaced equal distances apart across the surface 11 with each row being comprised of seventeen apertures spaced equidistant apart alongthe row formed thereby. Hence,

there results a pattern of apertures through the surface 11 each across the tile in a direction'perpendicular to the first mentioned rows. While in this example I have disclosed a specific arrangement and number of apertures 20, it is to be understood that other arrangements made up of a greater or lesser number of apertures 20 may be utilized if desired but as a general rule, it will be found that the greater the number of apertures in a surface 11 of given area, the greater will be the total resultant sound wave damping eifect of such apertures. 1 With the tile thus apertured and comprised of the thin, plate-like body and the integral edge flange 1415-16 therearound, I have provided as an important feature of my invention, a multiplicity of sound damping tube members 30 integral with the tile body 10 and projecting rearwardly from the rear side 12 thereof at each location of an aperture 20 through the body 10 in positions generally normal to the plane of the face 11 of the tile. These tube members 30 in addition to their sound wave damping function, also function to key or bond the tile to a mastic or cement coating onto which the tile is manually pressed in the installation thereof on a wall structure, as will be hereinafter fully described and explained. In the illustrated form of the tile, each tube member 30 is molded as an integral part of the plate-like body 10 and is comprised of an unbroken wall portion 31 of cylindrical cross-section which extends a distance rearwardly from the rear surface 12 of the tile body and which has joined integrally therewith and extending rearwardly therefrom at diametrically opposite'locations in continuation thereof, the posts or column forming tube wall portions 32, each of which is of arcuate cross-section with the inner surface thereof in continuation of the inner surface defining the bore through the cylindrical wall portion 31 of the tube member. Each post or column portion 32 of a tube member 30 is of greater thickness than the thickness of the wall portion 31 and projects outwardly from the outer surface of wall portion 31, as will be clear by reference to Figs. 3, 4 and 6. At the ends thereof, the posts 31 of each tube member 30 are joined and connected by an integral end wall .33 having a circular aperture or opening 34 therethrough in axial alignment with the aperture 20 through tile body 10 with which such tube member is associated, this end wall 32 in the specific example hereof constituting what is in effect a ring member connecting the posts 31 and having the circular aperture 34 therethrough of slightly less diameter than the diameter of the aperture 20 in body 10 with which it is axially aligned.

There is thus provided by each tube member 30 what is in effect an axial bore or passage 35 therethrough which is open at its outer or forward end through an aperture 20 in the face 11 of the tile body lthand is open at its inner or rear end through the circular opening 34 through the end wall 33, and which is open at diametrically opposite sides of each member 30 through what are in effect the side wall openings 36 each having substantial width relative to the diameter of the tube member and each having substantial length axially of the tube member between the rear edge of wall 31 and the inner surface of the end wall 33 of the tube member 30. Thus, in normal functioning of each tube member 30 sound waves may enter and are received through an aperture 20 of the tile face 11 and then pass through the bore or passage 35 toand outwardly through the side wall openings 36 into'the space S at the rear side of the tile, with resulting damping and dissipation of the sound wave energy. In the example embodiment the rear surfaces of the end walls 33 of the tube members 30 are preferablyllocated in the plane passing through the rear edge surfaces 14a of the flange walls 14, although my invention is not critically limited to such location. Some or all of the rear surfaces of tube member end walls 33 may be located in a plane or planes spaced inwardly from the plane passing through the rear edge surfaces 14a of flange walls 14, with th rear edges of the flange walls thus providing the primary or major seating surface for the tile in installed position. Preferably, .as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings,

' wall 33' in Fig. 5A of the drawings.

each of the damping tubes 30 is positioned on. the rear side of the tile body 10 with the tube rotated or turned about its axis to position the side wall openings 36 thereof angularly related to the positions of the side wall openings 36 of each of the adjacent tube members 30 in the row of such tube members in which said first-mentioned tube is located. In this manner a more elfective keying or bonding of the tile to the mastic coating in installed position of the tile may be obtained to resist forces acting in any direction on the tile tending to break the adherence of the tile from the mastic.

While I have shown the tubes 30 in the form thereof illustrated in Figs. 1 through 6, as each having the circular opening 34 through the rear or inner wall 33 there of, it is to be understood that these end walls may be formed solid across the end of the tube as shown by the If it should be desirable or found expedient, my invention contemplates and includes providing a tile with both tubes of the type of tube 30 having the circular opening 34 in the end wall 33 thereof and tubes of the form of Fig. 5A in which the end wall 33' is closed. With tubes having the closed end wall 33 and the side wall openings 36 extending between the rear edge of the circular wall portion 31 and the inner surface of the closed end wall 33', when the tile is applied and pressed against the mastic, the closed end walls will extend into the mastic with the mastic being forced around the closed end wallsand over into the side wall openings 36 to firmly key and bond such tubes into the mastic.

In the tile of the form of Figs. 1 through 6, I have provided for the use of mechanical fastening members, such as nails or the like, to 1x the tile in position on the structure on which it is to be installed. For instance, I may provide nailing bosses 37 at certain locations in the rows of damping tubes 30 in place of the tubes at those locations. In the illustrated arrangement I have provided a nailing boss 37 at the center of the tile body 10 in position extended rearwardly from the rear surface 12. This nailing boss 37 is formed with an axial bore 37a therethrough with a rear end wall 37b providing a reduced diameter aperture 37c in axial continuation of the bore 37a. This bore 37a of the nailing boss 37 located at the center of the body of the tile opens atits outer or forward end through the aperture 20 which opens through the center point of the face 11 of the tile body 10. Substantially similar nailing bosses 37 are provided at each corner at the rear side of tile body 10 and also as the center member of each outer row of tube members 30 along the adjacent edge flange 14. I have also provided at the center of each quarter-section of the area of the rear surface 12 of tile body 10, a nailing boss 38 similar to the bosses 37 but which perform an additional function in connection with a further feature of a tile combination of my invention as will be-referred to in detail hereinafter. Each of the nailing bosses 37 and 38 is formed integral with the wall body 10 and preferably has the rear surface of the rear end wall 37a thereof located in the plane which passes through the rear surfaces of the end walls 33 of the tube members 30 and through the rear edge surfaces 14a of the flange walls 14.

The tile as thus constructed and constituted provides a completed acoustical tile ready for mounting and installation. by the use of a mastic alone or WlthOlltlhfi use of a mastic and solely by using nail fastening members driven through the nailing bosses, or by both a mastic and nail fastening members.

In accordance with a further feature of my invention I have made it possible to eliminate the necessity for applying a coating of mastic or cement to the surface onto which the acoustic tiles are to be mounted and installed in advance of such installation, by an arrangement and construction which provides at the rear side of and as g anti-1,2 14

. 7 apart of'the tile structure itself, suitable mastic'rec'eiving surface areas to which the mastic may be applied just in advance of and as each tile is ready for installation. Referring to Figs. 7 through 9, I have illustrated a tile "of the design and construction of the tile of Fig. I as hereinbefore described, with a plurality of mounting units 40 which provide mastic receiving discs or plates 41 of circular form in plan in this example, and which are positioned and located at the rear side of the tile spaced equidistant apart with the rear, mastic receiving surfaces 42 thereof being flat or planar and located in the plane which passes through the rear edge surfaces 14a of the flange walls 14 and the rear surfaces of the rear 'end walls 33 of the damping tubes In the example tile, which as hereinbefore explained happens 'to' be 12" x 12 in plan dimensions, I have provided the 7 'plate 41 of each of the units 4% as having a maximum outside diameter of approximately 3 /2" and I have pro- "vided or mounted one of these mastic receiving plate un'its centrally located on each quarter-section of the area of the rear surface of the tile body it so that these units are spaced equal distances apart around and are equally spaced from the central point of the rear surface of the tile as represented by the central nailing boss 37.

In the selected form expressing this feature of my invention, I have provided the mastic receiving plate units 49 as separate components which are cemented or otherwise suitably fastened to and assembled with the tile. However, it is to be understood that my invention is not limited to the formation of the units 40* as separate components. Such units may be formed integral with and as a part of the tile structure with the rear "surfaces '42 thereof located as hereinabove explained. jAnd similarly, while I have shown the discs or plates 41 of the units 40 as of circular plan form, they may, 'ifide sired, be formed of any other desired shape in plan.

In the selected example each of the mastic receiving jplate units 40 is molded or otherwise formed from a suitable plastic and is comprised of the circular disc or plate 41 presenting at one side thereof (the rear side in mounted position) the mastic receiving surface 42,

together with a circular mounting base-43 which extends forwardly (with the unit in mounted position) from the side thereof opposite surface 42. 43 of each unit 40 is circular in form and of substantially reduced diameter relative to the diameter of the "disc'or plate 41 of the unit. the base 43 of each unit at} has an external diameter of approximately 1. is provided with a central tubular hub portion 44 which extends rearwardly therethrough and axially thereof from the base wall 45 of the hub to terminate at its rear end 'in the annular edge 44a located approximately in the plane of the mastic receiving surface 4?, of plate 41 of 'the unit. This central tube or hub 44 provides a bore The mounting base In the present example,

This mounting base $3 is hollow and 44b therethrough which is open at its opposite ends through the outer surface of the base wall 45 of the mounting base 43 and through the inner end of the hub 44,-respectively. Thus constructed and arranged the hollow mounting base 43 with its tubular hub 44. provides an annular chamber 43b therein which surrounds the hub 44 concentric therewith and with plate and which is open at its rear side through the rear, mastic receiving surface 42 of the plate 41 of the unit 4%}. The disc or plate 41 of each unit 4% is provided with plurality of circular holes or apertures 46 therethrough each of which is preferably of a diameter slightly greater than the maximum width of the rear end wall 33 of a damping tube 30 for receiving therein the'damping tubes of the tile that are located in the area covered by the plate of a unit when the unit is in mounted position attached to the rear side 12 of the tile body it In the assembled position of the mounting and mastic receiving units '40 in the completed -tile,-one unit-is position.

mounted in position on eachof the four nailing basses 38 that is located at the central point of each quartersection of the rear surface 12 of the body 10 of the'tile with the boss 38 on which mounted being received in andextended rearwardly through the tubular hub 44 of the unit. Each mounting unit 40 is secured and affixed in assembled position against displacement by cementing the outer side of the base wall 45 of the base 43 of theunit'to the abutting surface of the rear side 12 of the tile body. When so mounted and assembled, the holes 46 in the mounting and mastic receiving plate 41 of the unit receive therein the rear ends of the damping tubes 39 which are located over the area covered by the plate, as will be clear by reference to Fig. 7 of the drawrngs.

With the tile and its mounting units 40 having the dimensions of the present example, if a greater total area of mastic receiving surface on the tile is desired, another (a fifth) mounting unit 40 may be provided mounted in position on the central nailing boss 37 at therear side of the tile body it). And it is to be here pointed out, the nailing bosses for the tile may be dispensed with and damping tubes, such as the tubes 30 substituted therefor. In suchevent the mounting units 40 would be positioned on tubes 30 at the desired locations of such tubes on the tile.

With the tile in the form of Figs. 1 through 6, having the mounting units 40, the tile may be mastic installed without the necessity of applying mastic to the structure on which the tile is to be attached, by merely applying the required quantity of mastic onto the surfaces 42 of each of the discs or plates 41 of the units 40, and then pressing the tile manually into installed position. It will be noted that the mastic applied to the surface 42 of each plate 41 will be well-keyed or bonded to that plate and to the tile by entering into the holes 46 in'the plate around the damping tubes 30 as well as entering into the 'endwall openings 34 of those tubes when the tubes are of the'open end form. In addition, if desired, theannular recess or chamber 43b may receive mastic, although with the aggregate area provided by the four plates 41, sufficient area of mastic will be provided to firmly and tightly cement the tile into its desired installed It is also to be noted that with the tile of the form having the damping tubes 30 of either the open or closed end wall type, if it should be found desirable 'or necessary, additional cementing for the tile can be obtained by applying the mastic to the surface on which the tile is to be installed as well as to the plates 42 so that the damping tubes 30 throughout the area uncovered by the plates will be keyed into the surface coating of mastic.

While the mounting units 40 are shown in the example as embodied in a tile of my invention of the type provided with the damping tubes 30, I contemplate and intend the use of such mounting units with a plain type of 'tile having no damping tubes extended from the rear In such adaptation of the invention the plates 41 of the units 46 are positioned as in the illustrated form, spaced rearwardly from the rear surface 12 of the tile the desired distance from the tile, and in such adaptation the plates 41 may orv may not be provided with holes or openings therethrough depending upon the extent of keying of the mastic to the plates which may be found necessary or desirable.

A5 hereinbefore pointed out, the forms of perforated tiles with the rearwardly extending damping tubes 30 provide for eihcient and substantial sound wave damping and absorbing functioning when installed with the space S surrounded by the continuous edge flange 14-15-16 unoccupied by any additional sound absorbing medium or material. However, for maximum damping and absorption I prefer to provide the tile with a pad or'mat 50 of 'a suitable sound' absorbing material 79 and of aplan area to fully occupy the space S within and surrounded by the tile edge flange. 1

Referring now to Figs. 7 and 8, I have illustrated therein as an important feature of my invention an assembly and combination of plastic tile, mastic receiving mounting units 40 and a suitable sound absorbing pad or mat 50, which together form as a new article of manufacture a complete self-contained tile unit embodying as a permanent component therein such a sound absorbing pad or mat 50. This tile unit or package is assembled and completed as a unit for distribution anddelivery to the installer so that the difficulties and disadvantages of having to separately handle and assemble a tile and absorbing pad or mat on the job are eliminated.

In the example hereof of the unit tile with its sound absorbing mat as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, I have selected and shown such a pad or mat 50 formed of a suitable mineral wool or the like material, preferably a glass fibre material, and I have provided this mat with a series of holes 51 therethrough spaced and arranged to receive therein the damping tubes 30, respectively, when the mat is in mounted position in the space S at and covering the rear side 12 of the tile body 10. In addition to the damping tube receiving holes 51 I have also provided circular, enlarged diameter openings 52 therethrough located to receive axially therein the nailing bosses 38 which are located at the centers of the quartersections, respectively, of the rear surface 12 of the tile body. The openings 52 are of a diameter in this instance to receive the bases 43 of the mounting units 40 when the latter are installed and cemented into position on and over the bosses 38. Similarly, I may provide edge T In connection with the tile unit of Fig. 7which'eiii bodies the mounting units 40 and the sound absorbing mat 50, together with the mastic keying damping tubes 30, the tile may be efiiciently used in a modification which eliminates the mounting units 40 and merely uses the perforated sound absorbing mat 50 at the rear side 12 of the tile surrounded by the continuous edge flange 14-15-16. In such forms it is possible to cement or otherwise attach the pad 50 in its proper position on the tile so that the tile may be manufactured and assembled as a complete tile and sound absorbing mat unit.

In another form of the tile, mat and mounting unit combination, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11, instead of the damping tubes of the forms of the tubes 30 hereinbefore described, I may provide the tile with damping tubes 60 in the form of a circular, closed wall 61 which has a length or depth axially less than the distance between the surface of the rear side 12 of the tile and the plane passing through the surfaces of the rear edges 14a of the tile flange. Each of these tubes 60 may have an annularrecess 60a around its inner end at the area in which it joins integrally with the tile body 10 so as to provide a. thin supporting base for each tube to assist a tube irn vibrating in response to the sound Waves received there-- in. And in this connection the same thin vibratory bases may be provided for the tubes 30 hereinbefore described in connection with other forms of the tile. This vibratory base feature is disclosed and claimed in my pending application Serial No. 283,707 referred to hereinabove.

With the tile in the form of Fig. 10, a different form of sound absorbing mat or pad is provided, such pad or mat 70 having eliminated therefrom the damping tube cut-outs 53 in the pad 50 located to receive therein the nailing bosses 37 positioned adjacent the side edges and corners of the tile, along the side edges of the mat, and I may also provide a circular opening 53' at the center of the mat for receiving the center nailing boss 37 and also for receiving therein a central mounting unit 40, if it should be desired to provide the tile with such an additional mounting unit.

In the assembly of the completed tile unit of the form of Fig. 7, the sound absorbing pad or mat 50 is positioned in the space S at the rear side of the tile and against the rear side 12 of the tile body 10 with the damping tubes 30, the nailing bosses 37 and the nailing bosses 38 received in their respective openings 51, 52, 53 and 53' formed through the mat. The mat 50 has a thickness such that in mounted and installed position in the space S at the rear side of the tile, its outer side surface 54 lies substantially or generally in the plane passing through the rear edge surfaces 14a of the flange walls 14. After the mat or pad 50 is assembled into'position, the mounting units 40 are thenassembled in position and cemented by their base walls 45 to the rear side 12 of the tile body on each of the nailing bosses 38 with the disc or plate 41 of each unit 40 being extended over the area of the'pad or mat 50 at'the rear side of the plates. The discs or plates 41 of the mounting units 40 thus clamp and confine the sound absorbing pad or mat 50 in its assembled position as a permanent component of the tile unit againstdisplacement .in handling and in mounting of the tile in its installed position. The resulting tile unit is complete and ready for immediate installation by the use of a mastic and/ or mechanical fastenings without the necessity of the installer assembling therewith any sound absorbing material, while the proper positioning of. the sound absorbing material with the tile is insured. Due to the perforations or sound openreceiving holes 51 of the pad 50 but having circular the form of the pad 50 hereinbefore described. The pad 70 is mounted and secured in position at the rear side 12 of the tile body 10 by the use of mounting units 40 in the identical manner hereinbefore described with the form of the tile of the Fig. 7, but in this modified tile form the sound damping tubes 60 instead of extending through the pad or mat 70 engage against the inner surface thereof and thus discharge sound waves passing therethrough directly into the body of the mat for sound at the inner ends thereof spaced a distance rearwardly from the rear surface 12 of the tile body 10 to provide the unbroken rearwardly extending tubular portion "31. However, such closed-wall portion 31 of a damping tube may be eliminated with the side wall openings of the tube extending inwardly of the tube approximately to the inner surface 12 of the tile to'provide a tube as of the form of tube 30 of Fig. 5. Such a tube 30' has the diametrically opposite side wall openings 36' thereof extending along the tube from the rear end wall 33 to the inner surface 12 of the tile body 10. In the form of the tube 30 of Fig. 5 the rear end wall 33' of the tube may be closed as shown or may be provided withan opening or aperture therethrough such as an aperture 34 of a tube '30 of the form of Figs. 1 through 3. By providing the -wall 33' of the tube.

In connection with a tile having the mounting units, such as the units 40 of the examples hereof, a suitable permanent type of adhesive, such as an adhesive of the so-called pressure sensitive type, may be applied on and -to the rear faces or surfaces 42 of the units, preferably Isat thetime of. manufacture of the tiles, to thus elimimate the. necessity of applying a mastic to these units or "said'mounting unitin mounted position on its said boss to the surfaces on which the tiles are to be mounted, at :the time and place of installation. The tiles may be furnished with a permanent adhesive on the mounting units over which any suitable readily removable paper sheet or such like protective covering may be applied for removal to expose the adhesive at the time of installation of a tile. Thus provided with a permanent adhesive, the tile is furnished to the user as a completely prepared tile unit ready for installationmerely by pressing it into place against the surface on which it is to be mounted and without the necessity of separately applying a mastic or adhesive either to the tile itself or to the surface on which it is to be mounted.

It will also be evident to those skilled in the art that various other changes, modifications, adaptations, substitutions, eliminations, additions, combinations and constructions may be resorted to without departing from the broad spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not desire or intend to limit the invention in all respects to the exact embodiments and forms or 'to the specific constructions thereof of the selected examples thereof, except as may be required by intended limitations thereto appearing in any of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An acoustic tile comprising, in combination, a tile body of plate form having a rear side and an opposite from face side; a plurality of rearwardly extending bosses on the rear side of said tile body at locations spaced 'apart thereo ver; a plurality of separateand independent mounting units each comprising a plate member having a reduced diameter central base portion extending'from one side thereof formed to provide therein a tubular member disposed axailly thereof and theret'nrough; each .of said mounting units being mounted on "one ofsaid 'bosses with such boss received in said axially located tubular member of said base portion;'said mounting units including said plate members thereof being spaced from and unconnected with each other; and said plate member of each of said mountingunits beingpositioned with spaced a distance rearwardly from the rear side of said :tile body providing a mastic receivingand carrying surface substantially parall tile body.

2. An all-plastic acoustic tile comprising, in combina- "tion, a thin plastic material body of plate form having a rear side and an opopsite front face side; aplurality of rearwardly extending tubular members onand spaced apart over the area of the rear side of said tile body; a jplurality of tile mounting units each comprising a plate member having a central opening theret-hrough and a plurality of apertures therethrough spaced apart .over the area of said plate member around saidcentralopem ing; each of said mounting units being located in fixed position on the rear side of said tile body with said plate members thereof substantially parallel with and el with the general plane of said "spaced rearwardly from said rear side with one of said tubular members being received in the central. opening thereof and those other of said tubular members extending from the area of the rear side of said tile body" around said central opening and covered by said plate member being received in said plate member apertures,

' respectively; and said rear side of each of said plate members of said mounting units providing a mastic receiving and keying surface thereon substantially. parallel withth general plane of said tile body. a

3. An acoustic tile of plastic material; comprising, in

.side; a rearwardly extending outer edge flange around I and integral with said tile body; a plurality of rear- -wardly extending tubular members of plastic material integral with said tile body extendingrearwardly from who-rear side thereof at locations spaced apart thereon;

a plurality of tile mounting units formed of plastic ma.- terial; each of said tile mounting. units comprising a plate member having a central, hollow base portion formed integral therewith extending outwardly from and centrally of one side thereof; said hollow base portion of each of said tile mounting units having an end wall at the end thereof opposite said plate member and being open at the end thereof through said plate member; said tile mounting units each being positioned on one of said rearwardly extending tubular members with said end wall of said hollow base thereof being affixed to said rear wall of said tile body and with said plate member of such tile mounting unit being positioned spaced rear wardly from said rear wall' located substantially in the plane passing through the rear edges of said outer edge flange; said plate member of each of said tile mounting units being spaced laterally from each of said plate members of each of said other tile mounting units; and said rear side'of each of said plate members of said tile mounting units providing a mastic receiving and carrying surface thereon in a plane substantially parallel with the plane of said rear edges of said outer edge flange of said tile body.

4. A plastic tile comprising, in combination, a thin plastic material tile body of plate form having a rear side and an opposite front face side; a plurality of rearwardly extending plastic material bosses on and integral with the rear side of said tile body at locations spaced apart thereover; a plurality of separate and independent mounting units of plastic material each including a plate member having'a reduced diameter tubular base portion extending from one sidethereof; each of said mounting units being mountedon one of said bosses with such bass received in said tubular base portion; said mounting units including said plate members thereof being spaced from and unconnected with each other; and said plate member of each of said plastic material mounting units being positioned spaced a distance rearwardly 40 from the rear side of said tile body providing a mastic receiving-and carrying surface substantially parallel with the general plane of said tile body.

5. A tile of plastic material comprising, in combination, a thin plastic material tile body of plate form hav- 145 ing a rear side and an opposite front face side; a rearwardly extending outer edge flange around and integral With said tile body; a plurality of rearwardly extending tubular members of plastic material integral with said tile body extending rearwardly from the rear side thereof at locations spaced apart thereon; a plurality of tile mounting units formed of plastic material;.each of .said tile mounting units including a plate member having a tubular base portion formed integral therewith extendingoutwardlyfrom oneside thereof; said tubular base portion of each of said tile mounting units having an end wall at the end thereof opposite said plate member and -.being openat the opposite'end thereof through said plate .,member; each of said tile mounting units being affixed iin position on one or" said rearwardly extending tubular members with said tubular base .portion mounted on and over said tubular member and with said plate mem- -berof such mounting unit being spaced rearwardly from said'rear wall located'substantially in the plane passing through the rear edges of said outer edge flange; said plate member of each of said tile mounting unitsbeing spaced laterally from each of said plate members, of each "of said other tile mounting units; and said rear side of 'each .of said plate members of said tile mounting units "being exposed and providinga mastic receiving and carrying surface thereon in a plane. substantially parallel with -the.plane.of. said rear edges. of said outer. flangeofsaid stile body.

(References on following-page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Trader Sept. 15, 1925 Sullivan July 11, 1933 Kellogg et a1. Sept. 12, 1933 Macdonell Oct. 10, 1933 Mazer "June 5, 1934 H011 et a1 Oct. 30, 1934 Smith Sept. 17, 1935 10 2,770,965

14 Halstead Nov. 19, 1935 Hamilton Mar. 21, 1939 Feichter Apr. 25, 1939 Hudson July 4, 1939 Newport et a1 Feb. 3, 1942 Rosenblatt Nov. 14, 1944 Moore Jan. 23, 1945 Mann May 12, 1953 Maccaferri "July 24, 1956 Engel Nov. 20, 1956 

